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Generosity of baseball phenom helps Japan earthquake survivors

A B.C. boy who hit 300 fair balls in three hours to raise money for Japan earthquake and tsunami survivors got a special treat today. He and his family got to hang out on the field for Seattle Mariners batting practice and stay for the game as guests of the Mariners.

Taiyo Boily, who’s just seven years old, was living with his family outside Tokyo last year when the earthquake hit. He and his family now live in Coquitlam, B.C., outside Vancouver. As the one year anniversary approached, Taiyo’s mother and father talked to him about the quake and tsunami. When Taiyo learned that there were still children living in shelters, he decided he wanted to do something to help them.

Taiyo is a huge baseball fan and pretty good at the game, as well, so he came up with a plan to hit fair balls for pledges. His goal was the raise $500. On March 11, 2012, the one year anniversary of the quake, Taiyo, set about hitting fair balls. Since he’s a switch hitter, Taiyo hit 162 fair balls right handed and 138 left handed. His efforts far surpassed his estimates. As of today, $4,100 has been pledged to Save the Children Canada to help with their Japan relief efforts. (Here’s a link to some news coverage of Taiyo’s amazing and generous feat.)

Taiyo Boily with Mariners Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma.

While on field for batting practice, Taiyo got to meet Jesus Montero, General Manager Jack Zduriencik and Munenori Kawasaki and Hisashi Iwakuma. He posed for a photo with the players, got autographs, and a pair of batting gloves Kawasaki had just taken off after B.P.

The Boily family are in Seattle for just one day. On Tuesday, they’re headed for Japan for two months. While there, Taiyo will visit some shelters and play baseball with other kids who went through the quake and tsunami.

And if you’d like to donate to Save the Children Canada’s ongoing relief efforts, here’s a link to do that.

– RH

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2 Comments

The Boily family truly have the Little League spirit, and we are proud to have them in our Coquitlam Little League family. Right now Taiyo is off in Japan playing more baseball, and we wish him all the best!

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